GRID Therapy as Palliative Radiation for Patients With Advanced and Symptomatic Tumors
This study investigates a special type of radiation therapy called GRID therapy. It's designed for people with advanced cancers that are causing problems, such as pain or discomfort, or tumors that are very large (over 8 cm), or have been difficult to treat with standard radiation before. Instead of many hospital visits for radiation, this method uses a single treatment delivered through a grid-like device. The main goal is to find out if this GRID therapy is a safe and effective way to relieve symptoms and improve comfort for patients, potentially reducing the number of hospital visits and side effects associated with traditional, longer radiation courses. Researchers want to see if it can quickly bring relief to people who need it most.
At a glance
What is this study about?
This study is about a different way of giving radiation treatment called GRID therapy. Radiation therapy is often used to help shrink tumors and ease symptoms caused by cancer, such as pain. For some people, especially those with advanced cancers that are causing a lot of symptoms, very large tumors, or tumors that haven't responded well to previous radiation, standard radiation treatments can involve many hospital visits and sometimes cause side effects.
GRID therapy is being explored as an alternative. It's a method where a single dose of radiation is given through a special grid. This means the radiation is delivered in a patterned way rather than evenly across the whole area. The hope is that this targeted approach can still be very effective at treating the tumor and relieving symptoms, but with fewer hospital visits and potentially fewer side effects compared to the usual radiation treatments that are spread out over several sessions.
The main purpose of this study is to see if GRID therapy is both safe and works well to relieve symptoms for patients facing these specific challenges. It's about finding a more patient-friendly and efficient way to provide comfort and improve quality of life for those who need palliative care.
Key takeaways
- Exploring a new, single-session radiation treatment.
- Aims to relieve symptoms for advanced or hard-to-treat cancers.
- May reduce hospital visits and treatment time.
- Focused on comfort and quality of life, not a cure.
- Your safety and well-being will be closely monitored.
- Participation is voluntary and you can leave at any time.
Who may be eligible?
To be able to join this study, participants must have a cancer diagnosis that has been confirmed by a doctor. Your tumor should be quite large (more than 8cm across), or it should be a type of cancer that is known to be difficult to treat with radiation (like melanoma or kidney cancer), or you might have had radiation treatment before and still need more.
Your general health should be good enough for you to do most everyday activities without much trouble. You also need to be 18 years old or older and be able to understand what agreeing to take part in a study means. The radiation treatment in this study would be given to areas like your arms, legs, neck, chest, tummy, or pelvis.
Hover, you cannot join if your cancer is potentially curable with other treatments, or if you've already had a specific type of short, intensive radiation therapy for symptom relief. You also can't take part if your tumor is very close to your spinal cord or in your brain, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Could this study suit you?
Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.
- Do I have a confirmed cancer diagnosis?
- Is my tumor very large (over 8cm) or known to be hard to treat with radiation?
- Am I needing radiation treatment for symptom relief?
- Am I 18 years old or older?
- Is my general health good enough for most daily activities?
- Is my tumor NOT near my spinal cord or in my brain?
What does participation involve?
If you choose to take part in this study, the main intervention will be receiving a single session of spatially fractionated radiation therapy. This means you will come to the hospital for one treatment session where the radiation will be delivered through a special grid. The study aims to see if this single treatment approach is effective. You will have assessments before and after the treatment. The total duration of your participation will depend on the follow-up schedule designed to track how well your symptoms are managed and any potential side effects.
Potential risks and benefits
Locations (1)
- Sir Mortimer Jewish General HospitalVerified postcodeMontreal, Canada· Recruiting
Common questions
What is GRID therapy?
GRID therapy is a special type of radiation treatment given in a single session, where the radiation passes through a grid-like device to treat the tumor.
Who is this study for?
It's for people with advanced, bulky (over 8cm), or difficult-to-treat tumors that are causing symptoms, who need radiation for symptom relief.
How many hospital visits would I need?
The main treatment involves a single radiation session, potentially reducing the number of hospital visits compared to traditional radiation courses.
Will this cure my cancer?
No, this study is focused on 'palliative care,' which means relieving symptoms and improving comfort, not curing the cancer.
What if I change my mind about participating?
You can withdraw from the study at any time, and it won't affect your ongoing medical care.
How to find out more
Luciana Poggi, PhD
Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.
Interested in taking part?
Discussion
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